Shower stall



Jan. 22, 1957 I J. GOCHE 2,778,030

SHOWER STALL Filed Jan. 14, 1954 IN V EN TOR. Jean Gocfz ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,778,030 SHOWER STALL Jean Goch, Marysville, Ohio Application January 14, 1954, Serial No. 403,992

1 Claim. (Cl. 4-449) This invention relates to an improved shower curtain rod, more particularly to a nonfrotatably mounted shower curtain rod having each end portion thereof bent inwardly and then outwardly whereby Water is prevented from escaping around the sides of a shower curtain which is suspended from said shower curtain rod.

The use of shower baths to maintain body cleanliness has been progressively increasing in our civilization. The conventional shower bath structure consists either of a specially designed shower stall in which is mounted a shower head, with the front of the stall being covered by a flexible curtain, or by the installation of a shower head in a recess in the wall in which is located a bath tub. In the latter installation also a flexible curtain is employed to cover the front of the bath tub recess. In either situation the flexible curtain is usually suspended from a straight rod which is mounted at the front edge of the shower compartment. This curtain is so mounted upon the shower curtain rod that it may be moved along the rod in order to completely open or to completely close off the shower compartment.

When the shower compartment is in use the shower curtain is drawn so as to completely close ofi the shower compartment. With the curtain in this position the edges of the curtain are usually in close relationship with the walls of the shower compartment. Invariably, however, there is a space between'the edge of the shower curtain and the wall through which space it is possible for water to escape. This water which escapes around the sides of the shower curtain will not remain within the shower compartment, but will be splashed into the area adjacent the shower compartment. When the shower compartment is located in a home the result is that the area surrounding the shower compartment is wet by the escaping water. This causes a mess wh'ichmust be cleaned up after each use of the shower bath. In addition, objects in the vicinity of the shower may be damaged by water.

In order to eliminate water escaping from around the sides of a shower curtain, this invention discloses a new and improved shower curtain rod'from which a shower curtain is to be suspended. This improved shower curtain rod comprises a rodlike member wherein the end portions are bent inwardly at right angles and then outwardly at right angles. The end portions are then rigidly secured in suitable mounting members. These mounting members are affixed a distance inwardly from the front edges of the shower compartment walls. The major, unbent portion of the shower curtain rod is substantially flush with or slightly inward of the front edges of the shower compartment walls. When a shower compartment is equipped with the shower curtain rod of this invention, it will be seen that the side edges of the shower curtain will be brought inwardly from the front edges of the shower compartment. Consequently the main portion of the curtain is substantially flush with the front of the shower compartment, thus giving the same-amount of room within the shower compartment as existed with the conventional shower curtain, but, in addition, the

2,778,030 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 ends of the shower curtain are turned inward. By tuming the ends of the shower curtain inward, the escape of water around the sides of the shower curtain is eliminated.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a new and improved shower curtain rod.

It is another object of this invention to provide a shower curtain rod the use of which will eliminate the escape of water around the sides of a shower curtain suspended from it.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shower curtain rod whereby the sides of a shower curtain suspended therefrom will be turned inwardly, thereby preventing water from the shower bath to escape around the sides of the shower curtain.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a shower curtain rod wherein the end portions thereof are bent inwardly at a right angle and then outwardly at a right angle, and said end portions being non-rotatably mounted on the walls of a shower compartment.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a front perspective view of a shower compartment utilizing the shower curtain rod disclosed in this invention;

Figure 2 is a top perspective view of a shower compartment using the shower curtain rod disclosed in this invention, with the exception that the shower curtain is omitted for clarity;

Figure 3 is a detailed drawing in perspective of the shower curtain rod, and illustrating the means for preventing the rotation of said rod and means for adjustably extending the rod; and

Figure 4 is a detailed drawing in perspective of one end of another embodiment of the shower curtain rod disclosed in this invention, wherein the end portion of the shower curtain rod has a substantially square crosssection, and the socket which receives the end of the shower curtain rod also has a substantially square crosssection.

Returning now to the drawings, more particularly to Figure 1, 10 indicates a bath tub which is installed in a bath tub recess indicated generally as 11. The recess 11 comprises a pair of side walls 12 and 13 and a back wall 14. A shower head 15 is installed on the sidewall 13. As the recess 11 is equipped with a shower head 15, it will be convenient in describing this invention to refer to the assembly as described so far as the shower compartment 16. e

As previously described, the shower compartment 16 comprises the walls 12, 13, and 14 which, as illustrated in Figure 1, are of tile construction. The coventional shower compartment has walls of tile construction, but in order to practice this invention it is not necessary that tile surfaces be employed. The shower compartment may have walls of any other suitable material.

A pair of mounting members 17 and 18 are afiixed to the side walls 12 and 13 respectively. The mounting members 17 and 18 are so mounted on the side walls 12 and 13 that the members directly oppose each other, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. Both of the mounting members 17 and 18 have similar construction, and the mounting member 17 which is illustrated in detail in Figure 3 will be further described.

The mounting member 17 comprises a base plate 19 to which is integrally attached a socket portion 20. The base plate 19 has a plurality of holes 21 through which screws 22 may be inserted in order to fasten the entire mounting member 17 to a wall. the fastening of the mounting member 17 to a wall be It is not necessary that '2) limited to screws. Other methods of fastening, such as cementing the mounting member to the wall, as an example, may be satisfactorily used.

The socket portion has diametrically opposed openings 23 therein, through which is inserted a pin 24. The function of the pin 24 will be later described in detail.

A shower curtain rod indicated generally as 25 is supported from the mounting members 17 and 18 by inserting the ends of the shower curtain rod 25 into the socket portions of the respective mounting members. The shower curtain rod 25 comprises a substantially straight main portion 26, and end portions indicated generally as 2'7 and 28. The end portion 27 is bent inwardly 90 at the point 29 and bent outwardly 90 at the point 30. As aresult of the bends 29 and 30, a transverse portion 31 and a longitudinal portion 32 are formed in theend portion 27. The free end 33 of the longitudinal portion 32 is received within the socket portion 28 of the mounting member 17.

The other end portion 28 of the shower curtain rod 25 has a configuration similar to that described for the end portion 27. In the end portion 28 a 90 inward bend at the point 34 and a 90 outward bend at the point 35 form a transverse portion 36 and a longitudinal portion 37. The longitudinal portion 37 has a free end 38 which is received within the socket portion of the mounting member 18.

While there is no particular relationship between the length of the transverse portions 31 and 36 and the shower curtain 25, the length of these transverse portions should be at least six inches for satisfactory results. However, the length of these transverse portions 31 and 36 may vary considerably from the figure of six inches, and the results of this invention will still be obtained.

The longitudinal portions 32 "and37 should have a length slightlyv greater than the length of the socket portion on the mounting members. With this relationship of the longitudinal portions 32 and 37, the transverse portions 31 and 36 will be adjacent the side walls 12 and 13. The closer the transverse portions 31 and 36 are to the side walls 12 and 13, the more satisfactory will be the results of the invention.

Because the main portion 26 of the showencurtain rod 25 is offset from the longitudinal portions 32 and 37 which form the supportingaxis of the shower curtain rod 25, there will be a tendency for the shower curtain rod 25 to rotate when it issupported by the mounting members 17 and 18. Several different constructions may be utilized in order to prevent rotation of the shower curtain rod 25. In Figure 3 the longitudinal portion 32 is illustrated as having a substantially circular cross-section at the point-where .it enters the socket portion 20. Consequently, an aperture 39 is made adjacent the free end 33 asillustrated in Figure 3. When the shower curtain-rod is inserted into the mountingmember 17, the aperture 39 is aligned with theopenings 23. The pin 24 is theninserted througlrthe aligned openings and aperture. The same structure is alsoqprescut on the longitudinal portion 37 which is associated with the mounting member 18. In this mannerit can be seen that the shower curtain rod 25 is prevented from rotation and is rigidly held in place.

A desirable method of preventing rotation of the shower curtain rod 25 is to make the longitudinal portions of the shower curtain rod of a cross-section other than circular. The associated sockets on the mounting members have openings whose cross-section will .co-operate with the cross-section of the longitudinal portions. An example of this structure is illustrated in Figure 4. In Figure 4 the longitudinal portion 32 is illustrated as having a substantially square cross-section, and the socket portion 20 also has a substantially square cross-section dimensioned so as to closely receive the longitudinal portion 32. While Figure 4 indicates that the entire shower curtain rod has a square cross-section, it is necessary only that the longitudinal portion itself have a cross-section which is other than circular. By utilizing square crosssectioned longitudinal portions at the ends of the shower curtain rod, it can be seen that the shower curtain rod will be prevented from rotation when supported by the mounting members.

Returning to the shower curtain 'rod 25, it is pointed out that this rod may be constructed of any suitable material. A metal construction is desirable, however plastic or glass could be satisfactorily used.

Also, in connection with the-shower curtain rod 25 it is desirable that it be capable of having its length adjusted. One construction which would accomplish this is illustrated in both Figure 2 and Figure 3. The main portion 26 of the shower curtain rod 25 is of a hollow construction, and comprises a center portion 46 and adjoining portions 41 and ,42. A dowel member 43, which will be closely received within the main portion 26, is rigidily fastened within the adjoining portion 42 in such manner that a considerable part of the dowel member 43 protrudes from the adjoining portion 42. This protrudingend of the dowel member 43 is received within the center portion 40. Another dowel member (not shown) is similarly aflixed to the free end of the adjoining portion 41. With this construction, it can be seen that the main' portion 26 of shower curtain rod 25 may be adjusted to-correspond to the distance between the side walls 12 and13 of the shower compartment 16. It is also anadvantage to have the shower curtain rod adjustable when installing the shower curtain rod after the mounting members 17 and 18 have already been positioned.

To'enable theshower compartment 16 to be used, a conventional shower curtain 44 is suspended from the shower curtain rod 25 by use of a plurality of conventional hooks indicated as 45.

Thus it can beseen that byusing this invention a shower stall may be obtained from which escaping water is eliminated. While this invention will find its greatest use in shower stalls and bath tub recesses equipped with shower heads, it is pointed out that other uses for this invention exist. This invention may be used in connection with various industrial processes which are carried out in compartments from whiehit is desired that escapingvapor or liquid be eliminated, but it is deemed desirable-that .the front of the compartment be covered with a flexible curtain. This invention may also be satisfactorily ,used in suspending a curtain in front of dressing stalls suchas would befound in a clothing store or in abath house. This use of the invention would give the occupant of .such a stall a greater degree of privacy.

It will be understoodthat this invention is susceptible to modification. in order to adapt it to different usages andconditions, and accordingly it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fallwithin the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as this invention is:

In a shower stall, opposed side walls with the front edges. thereof defining the open front of said stall, a bottom for said shower stall and having an upstanding retaining portion along the front thereof for collecting and conveying shower .water, socket-like mounting members on said opposed side walls inthe same horizontal plane and equidistant from .the front edges of said side walls, a straight rod having outer ends and a uniform cross section throughout withuthe median portion of the rod between the outer end portions thereof being positioned flush with the front edges of said side walls, each end portion of said rodhaving an inward bend and an outward bend a substantial distance-therefrom with said bends being with respect to said front edges of said stall side walls, the outer ends of said rod being non-rotatably supported within said mounting members with the ends of said rod between said outer ends and said outward bends being only slightly longer than said mounting members whereby the portions of said rod between said outward and inward bends are slightly spaced from said 5 opposed side walls, and a shower curtain having its upper edge suspended from said rod and its lower edge within said bottom retaining portion with said shower curtain extending the length of said median portion and said end portions whereby appreciable amounts of each end portion of said shower curtain is adjacent and parallel to said opposed side walls to prevent the escape of water around the ends of said shower curtain and to guide shower water downwardly into the bottom of the shower stall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Newton Oct. 6, 1896 Kolb May 1, 1900 Rozee Sept. 11, 1906 Downs Sept. 3, 1929 Berdon May 10, 1932 Culver May 7, 1940 Pequet June 8, 1948 Hart Dec. 5, 1950 Byrne Mar. 20, 1951 Porter Nov. 6, 1951 

